


as fate would have it

by supersapphics



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: AU, Multi, fairytale AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:01:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25633252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supersapphics/pseuds/supersapphics
Summary: when magnus' father grows ill, he gives his son an ultimatum: he has to marry, and soon, or he won't inherit the kingdom. magnus, however, is still waiting for The One. desperate, he throws a ball and invites every eligible single person in the land. enter alec, who might just be The One.alec's sister isabelle tags along, and there she meets two beautiful women who are not only in a relationship with each other, but both seem interested in her as well. this situation seems too perfect to be true - or is it?
Relationships: Clary Fray/Isabelle Lightwood/Maia Roberts, Helen Blackthorn/Aline Penhallow, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 15
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is a re-upload from my previous account of the same name.

“Magnus, this isn’t a matter up for debate. It’s simply the way it is, so instead of being a whiny brat about it, just accept it and be quiet, hmm?”

Magnus scowls at his father. “I can’t believe you’re being so blasé about this. You just told me that I can’t inherit your throne unless I marry and you expect me to be calm about it?”

“You’re right, that was quite stupid of me. As if any son of mine would ever be calm about anything,” Asmodeus says dryly, rolling his eyes and looking the very picture of long-suffering.

That makes Magnus’ scowl deepen. “This is a big deal. If anything, I’m underreacting. I’m only twenty-six, I’m nowhere near ready to marry and have children –”

“What you’re ready for is not the issue,” Asmodeus interrupts. “You’re the crown prince of this country. You have responsibilities that take priority over your own wishes. As the prince, you may have been able to ignore those obligations, but as king, you won’t have that luxury any longer. This is your life now.”

Magnus ignores the insulting implication that he hasn’t taken his princely duties seriously in favor of trying another method of debate. “If Edom’s well-being is so important, then isn’t it better if I find a spouse who really balances me and can be a great partner to me?”

Asmodeus sighs, once again giving the impression that Magnus’ antics are causing him actual pain. “That’s not what our citizens care about. Their concern is only that you’re married and can produce heirs. Anything else is none of their business.”

“But –”

“Enough,” his father says sharply. “I’m tired and need rest. Go find Maia and Clary and instruct them to begin preparations for the ball.”

“The ball?” Magnus repeats, trying not to feel too alarmed at what his father is implying.

“Yes, the ball. The quickest and easiest way for you to find your future wife is by hosting a ball and inviting all of the eligible noblewomen in the surrounding regions.”

“And men,” Magnus adds, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I’m sure most of the women will be escorted by their male family members,” Asmodeus says dismissively, making it clear he’s only saying so to make Magnus be quiet. “We’ll host the ball next week. Now run along and tell Maia and Clary. I’m tired,” he repeats.

Despite his irritation, Magnus still reaches out to his father in concern. “Should I call the physician?”

Asmodeus waves him away. “No, no. Just leave me be and let me rest for an hour or so.”

“Okay,” Magnus mumbles. “I’ll go talk to Clary and Maia.”

Asmodeus doesn’t answer; his eyes are closed and he already appears to be asleep. Squashing down the worry he feels for his father’s health, Magnus leaves the room and heads downstairs to find his friends.

“I’m not sure we should,” Clary murmurs. “It wouldn’t be very professional.”

“Oh come on,” Maia cajoles, “we only live once.”

“Am I interrupting something?” Magnus asks in amusement as he steps into the room.

Both women look up, grinning. They’re seated together behind the same desk, Clary with a stack of documents in front of her, Maia with a plate piled high with cookies.

“Maia was just trying to convince me to eat some of these cookies,” Clary explains, “but I said it was going to make a mess of crumbs and we probably shouldn’t.”

Maria shrugs, still grinning. “She’s probably right. I was actually intending to feed her the cookies by hand, which would’ve been messy.”

“This is why I love visiting with you two,” Magnus says, flopping into the chair in front of their desk. “You’re the exact opposite of those stuffy assholes I have to work with most of the day.”

“Thank you,” says Maia, beaming.

“As much as we love being complimented like this, I’m assuming you didn’t come down here just to tell us that,” Clary says. “How can we help you?”

“My father wants to host a ball and invite all of the eligible women in the area,” Magnus explains, heaving a huge sigh to make it clear how upset he is.

“Seriously?” Clary asks, eyes wide. “Is he that serious about you getting married? I thought last time you talked about this, he said he’d give you more time.”

“He did, but the situation has become more…time-sensitive.”

“His health is worsening,” Maia translates, frowning sympathetically and handing over the plate of cookies.

“Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do about it.” Magnus bites into a cookie and takes a moment to appreciate how delicious it tastes. “The physician visits him twice a day, but he’s not optimistic either. I think that’s why my father is so insistent we host this ball so soon. He’ll feel much better if he knows I’m married and fit to be king by the time he…well…” He trails off, not wanting to say the actual words out loud.

“So we should send out an announcement that we’re hosting a ball on…?” Clary asks, reaching for a fresh piece of parchment.

“Next week Saturday.” Magnus munches on another cookie. “Who made these, by the way?”

“Dot and Catarina,” Maia replies, gesturing for Magnus to hand her one.

“Really?” Dot and Catarina are his weapons masters and he’s never seen them in the kitchen before. Then again, he supposes he shouldn’t be surprised – there’s never been anything Dot and Catarina can’t do.

“Should the announcement mention that this ball is specifically intended to introduce you to potential suitors?” Clary asks, without looking up from her scribbling.

Magnus sighs once again at the thought of how many single young women he’ll be forced to talk to next weekend. Not that he has a problem with talking to said women in itself, it’s just that he’d much rather talk to women of his own choosing, and not noblewomen who aren’t going to have much else on their minds besides how they might become Queen of Edom soon.

“Yes,” he answers eventually, after biting into a third cookie for fortification. “It’s what my father was intending anyway.”

“Okay…” Clary hands over the parchment for Magnus to read. He scans it and sees all the necessary details recorded in Clary’s beautiful penmanship. His eyes catch on the date on the bottom of the page.

“Only eight more days until my life ends.” He looks down forlornly at the plate of cookies, only to find it empty. “Wait, who ate all of these?”

“Uhhh.” Maia gestures at the crumbs littering Magnus’ shirt.

“Oh. Right.” He sighs yet again and both Maia and Clary leap up from behind the desk and run to hug him.

“It’s going to be ok,” Clary soothes.

“Seriously, what are the chances that I’ll meet someone at the ball who I’ll like enough to want to marry them? Time is limited, it’s not like I’ll be able to court them for six months or a year before I have to propose. My father –” He stops and clears his throat. “My father doesn’t have much time left. We may have our differences, but I’ll want him to meet the person I choose, and that means this entire situation will have to be rushed as hell and I’m just not optimistic I’ll find that special someone in such a short time. And maybe it’s stupid of me, but I’d much rather marry someone I care about, not because it’s politically advantageous.”

“I know it seems rough, but there are going to be tons of people coming to this ball,” Maia says with a gentle squeeze to his shoulder. “Men and women, since most women wouldn’t dare to show up without a familial escort, so there’ll be plenty of opportunities for you. And yeah, maybe you won’t fall in love with anyone that night, but I doubt Asmodeus is going to make you choose your spouse that same day. You will have some time to get to know the person.”

“I hope you’re right,” Magnus mumbles. “Thanks, anyway, to both of you for listening to me whine.”

“What are friends for?” Clary says, smiling down at him. “Now why don’t you go take a nap or something to help yourself relax. Maia and I need to make about a million copies of this announcement if we’re going to send it out by the weekend.”

“All right.” Magnus gets to his feet, wipes off the cookie crumbs, and gives both his friends another quick, grateful hug before saying his goodbyes and making his way upstairs to his apartment.

 _Please let this all work out ok,_ he prays fervently as he climbs into bed and squeezes his eyes shut. _Please, please, please…_

“Alec, have you seen this?” Aline asks as she enters the room brandishing a piece of parchment.

Alec looks up from the map he’d been studying with his sister, Isabelle. “Is it from Helen?”

“No,” Aline says with a little pout. “I was hoping she’d write today, but so far nothing.” She hands him the paper. “No, this is from the Royal Court of Edom. Crown Prince Magnus is inviting everyone to a ball next weekend.”

“Seriously?” Isabelle asks, eyes widening. “What’s the ball for?”

“To help him choose his new spouse,” Alec replies after scanning the paper, which is written in both the language of Edom as well as Idris. “Although we all know it’s going to be a wife.”

“Edom has marriage equality just like Idris does,” Isabelle points out.

“Although both countries only legalized that recently,” Aline adds, scowling slightly before her frown vanishes, replaced by a coy smile. “Although that means _spouse_ still is on the table, not just wife.” She directs this at Alec, who frowns back at her.

“What is that look for?”

“You have to go to the ball and meet this guy!” Aline says, exchanging a look with Isabelle, who also nods encouragingly.

“Ok, first of all, we don’t even know if this Magnus guy is interested in men –”

“It says _spouse,_ Alec –”

“Ok, fine, so maybe he is. But that doesn’t mean he’ll be attracted to me. What about you?”

“Me?” asks Aline, looking startled. “Why would I go? I’m as gay as you.”

“So why I should I go?” Alec asks, starting to get frustrated.

“Because I’m already in a fulfilling relationship,” Aline says, “whereas you are not.”

“Izzy’s not in a relationship either.”

“Which is why you’ll _both_ go,” says Aline, clapping her hands together in obvious delight.

When Alec and Isabelle do nothing but exchange confused glances, Aline sighs heavily, as if it pains her to have to explain in more detail. “This invitation says Prince Magnus is looking for a _spouse._ Not a husband, not a wife, but a partner. That means he’s open to finding a partner of any gender. Since both of you are single, you can both attend the ball, both have your chance of meeting the Prince and getting a good word for yourselves in. If nothing further happens, well then, fine, oh well, but at least you’ll have tried. And you’re both bound to have a good time no matter what.”

“I still think Izzy has a better chance than me,” Alec grumbles. “Even if Edom has marriage equality, the crown prince is still bound to pick a wife, especially since he’s probably going to inherit the throne soon.”

“Well, you know it’ll still be scandalous for Izzy to show up on her own without an escort,” Aline says, rolling her eyes to show what she thinks of that idea. “So you’ll have to attend anyway. Might as well talk to the Prince while you’re at it.”

“Ok, fine,” Alec relents. “But I don’t understand why you’re making such a big deal about this ball in particular. Or about this prince in particular. If you’re really so desperate to see me and Izzy in relationships, why don’t you just set us up with some of your friends or other people you know?”

Aline gives him a look. “And you’d go on every blind date I set you up on?”

Isabelle snorts from behind him and Alec doesn’t even bother to glare at her for it. “Fine, I probably wouldn’t.”

“Exactly,” says Aline, “but if you’re serving as an escort for Izzy, you’ll have no choice but to stick around the ball. So even if both of you strike out with the prince, there’ll still be plenty of other men and women there for you two to talk with.”

“It sounds like it might be fun,” Isabelle says, touching Alec’s arm. “It’d be nice to get out of here and relax for a night, at least.”

Alec is reluctant to say so out loud, but he agrees with his sister. They (along with Aline and Helen) have been working pretty much nonstop over the past few months. Although they’ve left their home many times, they’d only done so to travel into the forest in search of rogue Circle members. Alec honestly can’t remember the last time the four of them went into town to go shopping or on a picnic in the woods like they used to do when they were children. Taking a night off might actually be enjoyable.

“All right,” he agrees, “but only if you and Helen come with. Not as potential suitors,” he adds when Aline opens his mouth to argue. “I’d just feel better if you were there with us. Besides, you two deserve a night off as well, and I know you’d have fun.”

Aline only hesitates a moment for nodding. “You have yourself a deal.” She sighs as she glances down at the date scribbled on the bottom of the parchment. “I just hope Helen is back by then…”

“She will be,” Isabelle soothes, squeezing Aline’s hand. “She’s on a very standard and routine mission. She knows how to take care of herself. She promised to be back by Monday and she will be.”

Aline nods and flashes Isabelle a grateful smile. “Thanks, Iz.” She scoops up the parchment. “I’m going to RSVP for the four of us then. I’ll see you guys later.”

When she’s gone, Isabelle turns to Alec. “I’m actually pretty excited about this. I don’t know anything about Prince Magnus though, not what he looks like or what he’s like as a person, nothing except that his father is terminally ill and he’s set to inherit the throne soon.”

“I don’t know anything about him either,” Alec says, returning his attention to the maps he and Isabelle had been examining earlier. “But whatever he’s like, I doubt he’s going to give either of us a second glance.”

“You don’t know that,” Isabelle argues.

“Iz, seriously. He’s a crown prince and we’re not even of nobility. We’re commoners, that’s it. No way he pays attention to us.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see,” Isabelle says, smirking, before pulling one of the maps toward her and getting back to work.


	2. Chapter 2

“Thank you so much, both of you, for being here,” Magnus murmurs as he stands rigidly outside the ballroom, his arms clasped behind his back.

“Of course,” Maia whispers back, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and squeezing his body to her side. “We’re your friends. We wouldn’t let you face this alone.”

Magnus releases a shaky breath and flashes his friends a weak but grateful smile. His father had never supported his friendship with Maia and Clary, because they were only part of his communication team; they had no higher standing in the court. Dot and Catarina, his weapons masters, held a slightly more esteemed position in his father’s eyes, but not by much. Magnus had never cared though; he’d never had better friends than these four, no matter how many children of nobility Asmodeus had paraded past him.

“It’s time,” Clary says, pressing a kiss to Magnus’ cheek. They melt into the background and Magnus takes a deep breath before stepping into the room just as the court herald announces: “Introducing Magnus Asmodeus Bane, Crown Prince of Edom, the first of his name.”

Thunderous applause greets the proclamation. Looking around the room, Magnus sees a few hundred people gathered around, split approximately in half between men and women. And they’re all looking directly at him, gazes expectant.

Magnus looks back at the herald and gives him a tiny nod. The herald orders all eligible suitors to line up in orderly fashion so they can introduce themselves to the Crown Prince. Thankfully, only a small portion of the guests who line up appear to be suitors; the rest seem to be their familial escorts. Still, that means Magnus will have to suffer through at least 75 introductions. He stifles a sigh and climbs the small dais at the back of the room to settle into his throne. The only thing keeping him here is the fact that his father had been to weak this evening to leave his bed and attend the ball. Out of respect, Magnus swallows against the unease crawling up his spine and pastes a polite smile on his face as the first noblewoman curtsies in front of him.

There’s nothing wrong, per se, with any of the women he speaks with over the next hour. They all seem friendly, and many of them are quite beautiful. But there’s no spark with any of them. Asmodeus would criticize him for his “silly romanticism”, would tell him that a spark isn’t necessary, that he simply needs to find someone agreeable and not look for anything deeper. But Magnus can’t do that. If he’s being forced to choose a spouse on such a fast-paced timeline, he does want to have some say in the person they end up being.

The very last suitor in line is the most beautiful woman Magnus has ever seen. She has long dark hair cascading down her shoulders and is wearing a white gown with glittering silver threads woven through it. She curtsies briefly before rising back to her full height and smiling warmly at him. “Your Highness. My name is Isabelle Lightwood, from the Kingdom of Idris.”

Magnus notices immediately that she didn’t use a title. No noblewoman would forget to mention that, so she must be a commoner. That, and the fact that she’s from Idris, intrigues him. “Idris, you say? That’s quite a distance.” He hadn’t given Maia and Clary any specific instructions on who should receive the invitations, but his father had said everyone from the surrounding regions should receive one. Idris is the neighboring kingdom, and if Isabelle lives close to the border, that must explain why she was invited.

“So far it seems worth it,” says Isabelle with a smirk, and Magnus actually chuckles, until he glances to his right and catches sight of Isabelle’s escort. His breath catches and his chuckle abruptly fades.

The second their gazes lock, the man bows low. “Your Highness. Alexander Lightwood. Isabelle’s brother.”

“Welcome to Edom,” Magnus murmurs, watching Alexander intently as he straightens out of his bow. “I must say, your command of our language is excellent.”

“Our parents placed a large emphasis on foreign languages in our studies,” Alexander responds, not taking his eyes off Magnus either.

“Then allow me to compliment your efforts,” Magnus says in the language of Idris, his gaze still focused on the other man. He can’t stop staring at him. While Isabelle is gorgeous, Alexander is beyond stunning. He’s tall – even taller than Magnus himself – and has the same dark hair as his sister. He’s wearing a simple suit that pales in comparison to his sister’s dress, but that doesn’t matter to Magnus. He doesn’t care about Alexander’s suit, when he could place his focus instead on Alexander’s mouth, and his hands –

“Thank you,” Alexander whispers, switching the conversation back to Edom’s language. They continue staring at one another, until Isabelle pointedly clears her throat.

“Well,” she says, her lips twitching in amusement, “I can take a hint. Your Highness, thank you so much for meeting with me.”

Magnus finally wrenches his gaze away from Alexander. “Yes,” he says, slightly flustered. He suddenly realizes that his meeting with the Lightwood siblings has lasted about four times as long as his talks with the previous attendees. “The pleasure was all mine. I…” He glances to his right and catches the herald’s eye.

“The first dance will now begin,” the herald announces. “Please, half of you line up side by side on the right side of the hall – the other half, on the left side.” The herald indicates the correct spaces and everyone begins making their way toward him. Magnus glances back at Alexander and Isabelle. “Follow me.”

He leads them toward the center of the hall, forbidding himself from looking at anyone, even though he knows everyone’s gaze is focused on him. He gestures for the siblings to line up on the right side of the room, while he takes his spot on the left.

Alexander is still watching him, and Magnus shivers slightly. God, he doesn’t think he’s ever felt a _spark_ this quickly – or at such an intense level – in his life. Alexander is the very definition of agreeable.

“Are you ok?” a familiar voice whispers, and Magnus glances over to see Clary standing next to him.

“I think I may have met my future husband,” Magnus says faintly.

Clary grins. “So quickly? The ball’s just barely started!”

“I didn’t need long to realize how perfect he is,” Magnus answers, but before Clary can reply to that, the music starts up and the dance begins.

Isabelle moves forward once the music starts and finds herself facing a very pretty redhead. The redhead loops her arm through Isabelle’s and spins her around, and Isabelle smiles at her, instantly enchanted by the toss of her hair and the curve of her smile.

The song that’s playing is gorgeous. It’s soft and melodious, but also fast-paced enough that it requires constant movement. Isabelle spins around and around, arm in arm with the stunning redhead, until suddenly, the other girl twists away.

Isabelle flounders for a second, not knowing what to do, but a moment later, a hand touches her arm. She turns and spots another beautiful woman, who smiles at her and extends her arm. Isabelle accepts and together they twirl around until they’re both dizzy and breathless. Then the redhead reappears and the three of them link arms and take turns spinning around until the song ends.

“I’m Clary,” the redhead says, smiling at Isabelle.

“And I’m Maia,” the other woman says.

“I’m Isabelle.”

“Isabelle Lightwood? From Idris?” Clary asks.

“Yes – how did you know?”

“We wrote the invitations,” Maia explains. “We’re Magnus’ communications team.”

“Really?” Isabelle asks, her eyes widening.

“Magnus isn’t like most royals. Most of his staff are women and people with non-noble backgrounds,” Maia says.

“He did seem really great from what I could tell,” Isabelle agrees. “Even though I only talked to him for a few minutes.”

“He’s the best!” Clary says warmly. “He’s one of our best friends, actually. And…” She glances over Isabelle’s shoulder. “It looks like he’s enjoying himself with your escort. Your brother?”

Isabelle follows Clary’s gaze and sees Alec talking to Magnus. The two of them are standing incredibly close together, and as Isabelle watches, Alec laughs and presses his hand to Magnus’ shoulder. Magnus smiles at him and Alec lights up in response.

Isabelle looks back at Maia and Clary. “My brother,” she confirms. “Alec. He didn’t want to come here tonight, but it looks like he’s not regretting the decision to join me.”

“And you?” Maia asks. “Are you happy you came tonight?”

The question feels deliberate. Both Clary and Maia are staring at her expectantly, and Isabelle feels rather breathless as she replies: “Yes. Very happy.”

“Then follow us,” Clary murmurs, extending her hand. “The next dance is about to begin.”

“It looks like the next dance is about to begin,” Magnus says. “Will you do me the honor of being my partner again?”

Alec smiles, pleased. The previous song had been upbeat – not necessarily fast-paced, but it had lent itself to dancing with multiple partners. Alec had danced mainly with Magnus, but also with another woman whose name, Dot, Magnus had whispered to him as they passed one another.

“My wife, Catarina, and I are Magnus’ weapons masters,” Dot had told him, nodding to the woman Magnus was dancing with.

“That’s great,” Alec had said, smiling. “My sister Izzy is our weapons master.” He’d looked around for her and been pleasantly surprised when he’d seen her dancing with not one, but two beautiful women.

Dot had followed his gaze, grinned at him, and then spun him back toward Magnus. “Hello again,” Magnus said, smiling at him. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself so far.”

“Very,” Alec replied, smiling back.

“That’s good to hear. As the crown prince, I would be devastated if a visitor to our country didn’t enjoy himself.”

“And what would the crown prince say if I told him most of my enjoyment was based on your company?”

Magnus’ grin widened. “Personally, I’d be thrilled. Officially, I’d encourage you to book a tour with the royal tourism committee. Edom has a lot to offer.”

“Oh? What exactly can Edom offer me? If you don’t mind giving me some examples.”

They’d spent the majority of the dance flirting back and forth and it was the most fun Alec had had in…well, years. He’d spent so long working to repair the damage his parents had caused, often working himself to the bone, to the point where he had time for nothing else. He loved Izzy, Aline, and Helen to death, but he’d never had the opportunity to form lasting friendships, let alone romantic relationships, so spending so much time in the company of a gorgeous and charming man like Magnus tonight was a bit dizzying.

Magnus had told him more about Dot and Catarina, as well as Maia and Clary – those were the women dancing with Isabelle – and Alec had told Magnus about Izzy, Helen, and Aline.

“Helen and Aline are like my sisters,” Alec explained. “Aline came to live with us when she was ten, and Helen when she was thirteen. They’ve been together pretty much from the day Helen moved in.” He nodded at the two women dancing nearby.

“Is that why they weren’t in line with you and Isabelle?” Magnus asked.

Alec nodded. “Helen was away on business when we received the invitations, but as soon as she was back, I made her promise she and Aline would come with us.”

“You’re really close with them,” Magnus observed. “It’s sweet.”

Alec smiled at him and there was a moment where they just stared at one another. The music was winding to a close and all Alec could think about was closing the distance between them and pressing a kiss to Magnus’ lips.

He was positive he could see the same intention in Magnus’ eyes. He steeled himself to lean in closer and –

“Ouch,” Magnus said, and Alec gasped in horror as he realized that in his haste to kiss Magnus, he’d accidentally stepped on Magnus’ foot.

“I’m sorry,” Alec told him, unable to believe what an idiot he was.

The song ended and everyone around them laughed and applauded. Alec suggested that they sit down, but Magnus laughed it off. “I’m fine, Alexander, the pain is already gone. It wasn’t a big deal.”

They’d spent the next few minutes continuing to talk, and then, out of the corner of his eye, Alec had noticed the other guests starting to line up in their former positions. Then Magnus had invited him to be his partner again and Alec had felt a swoop of pleasure in his stomach. He could remember telling Isabelle that Magnus wouldn’t pay attention to them because they were commoners and he almost laughed.

“I’d love to,” he says now. “Is this another multi-partner dance?”

“No, it’ll just be us,” Magnus says softly. “I hope that’s all right?”

“It’s perfect,” Alec whispers back.

Then the music begins.


	3. Chapter 3

Alec can barely breathe.

The second song is drastically different than the first. It had started off slowly, and Alec had been able to keep pace with Magnus easily, even though Magnus had still done most of the guiding.

But then the song changes. The tempo begins to pick up speed, and in response, Magnus’ movements (and therefore also Alec’s) increases its pace. Drifting together in slow circles no longer suffices – no, now Magnus spins them in tighter and tighter circles, and every time Alec attempts to catch his breath, the song somehow intensifies.

He can’t hear the other dancers, nor can he bear to tear his eyes away from Magnus. No, all he can hear is the sound of his own ragged breathing; all he can see is the look on Magnus’ face. Magnus looks exactly how Alec feels: his eyes are blown wide, his mouth parted slightly with how harshly he’s breathing. Alec’s heartbeat is rabbiting away in his chest, with such force that it’s almost painful.

The song reaches such a speed that Alec loses his footing trying to keep up with Magnus, but almost the instant he stumbles, Magnus is pulling him upright. Alec expects Magnus to let go of him once he’s back on his feet, but Magnus keeps his grip tightly wound around Alec’s arm. 

His touch is like an anchor. Despite the song increasing in speed once again, this time Alec is able to keep upright. He stares into Magnus’ face, feeling almost hypnotized, as the song finally winds down and finally fades into silence.

There’s complete quiet once the music ends, but Alec honestly isn’t sure if the silence is real or if he’s simply imagining it because he’s still dazed by the physical effects of the dance. He realizes that his throat and chest are damp with perspiration and Magnus doesn’t look much better.

Slowly, Alec becomes aware of conversation picking up between the other guests. He waits a moment longer before he dares to speak.

“That dance was – intense. I could barely keep up with you.”

“You danced splendidly,” Magnus argues.

“Only because you were guiding me,” Alec points out with a little laugh.

“You were very good at being guided,” Magnus says seriously, and that just makes Alec laugh even harder.

“Would you like to be my partner for the next dance?” Magnus asks. Alec is all set to say yes, but just then, he happens to catch sight of something out of the corner of his eye.

Or rather, someone. There are a few women gathered together and outright glaring at him, not even bothering to hide it. What they’re thinking couldn’t be more clear: they’re jealous and angry because he’s been monopolizing Magnus’ time. Magnus, who is the Crown Prince and should be using this ball as an opportunity to meet his future spouse. Which certainly isn’t going to be Alec, a lowly commoner from Idris. What’s more, a commoner from Idris whose parents –

He swallows hard and forces himself to grind out, “Actually…I think I see some women over there who’d love a chance to dance with you.”

Magnus barely spares them a glance. “Alexander, I’d much rather dance with you.”

“We can, later. But right now I’ve got to check in with Izzy, and you’ve got to – you know – be the future King.”

“Alexander –” Magnus starts, but Alec doesn’t stick around long enough to hear, instead taking off across the floor and out of the ballroom, in the exact opposite direction of Isabelle.

“So how long have the two of you been working with Magnus?” Isabelle asks.

“Hmm, maybe four years?” Clary looks to Maia for confirmation.

“Four years,” Maia nods. “That’s how we met.”

Isabelle looks between them hesitantly. During the previous dance, the three of them had stayed close together, moving in harmony, as if they were one person. Isabelle had switched her gaze back and forth between Maia and Clary, only to find both of them staring just as intensely back at her. The entire night, Isabelle had been under the impression that both of the women had been flirting with her, but that didn’t make any sense – neither of them seemed bothered by the other’s attempts or jealous of the other’s interactions with Isabelle. And now Maia had just implied that she and Clary were a couple.

What did that mean? Were they both interested in her? And if they were, did that mean that they _both_ wanted – with her –?

She swallows hard and asks, “So what now?”

“Anything you want,” Clary says softly, her gaze never leaving Isabelle’s. “We could go outside, if you’d like. There’s a lovely garden we could show you.”

Isabelle glances over at Maia and loses her breath at the other woman’s piercing focus. Decision made, she holds out both hands and watches pleasure and delight flood the two women’s faces. Beaming at her, they each take one of her hands and lead her outside.

“Alexander?”

Alec looks up from where’d been skulking in a shady alcove. Instinct tells him to keep hiding, but he stifles it and steps into Magnus’ view. “Hey.”

There’s evident relief on Magnus’ face. “Thank god. I was worried you’d left entirely.”

“No, I would never do that. I was just…panicking.”

“Panicking about what?” Magnus asks, his voice soothing and gentle and Alec can’t believe how hard he’s fallen, not to mention how fast, for this man.

“Magnus, you’re – you’re the crown prince. And I’m nobody, I’m just a commoner and nothing else. You should be in there, dancing with princesses and noblewomen, not standing in a dark hallway with me –”

“Do I get a say in what I should be doing?” Magnus interrupts.

Alec stops, startled. “Of course you do.”

“Then let me tell you this,” Magnus says, taking a step closer. “I don’t want to spend the night dancing with noblewomen. I’m sure there are some genuinely lovely women in there, but the majority of them are only here because they’re interested in my crown. They couldn’t care less about me. But you? You care. You’ve shown more of an interest in me than anyone outside of my circle of friends has done in a long time. Years, even. And that’s not to mention how interesting you are. I’ve been captivated with you from the moment I met you. And since this is my party, I think I should be able to decide who I want to spend it with. Now, are you going to make me beg?”

Unbidden, Alec feels a fond smile spread across his face. “No,” he murmurs, “I’m not going to make you beg.”

Magnus’ answering smile is blinding. “Good. Now, if you’ll follow me…we can go outside to the garden. No one else should be there, so we’ll be alone and away from prying eyes, if that will make you feel more comfortable.”

“It would,” Alec agrees, relieved at the idea of escaping from all the angry suitors in the ballroom. “Thanks, Magnus.”

Magnus smiles at him again and offers Alec his hand, and Alec slips his hand inside Magnus’ and allows himself to be led outside.

“How about here?” Magnus asks, indicating a bench close to the fountain. The perfume of the surrounding plants is pleasant but not too heady, and the splash of the fountain is calming and not too loud.

“It’s perfect,” says Alec with a smile. Magnus can’t stop staring at him. Alec is beautiful in every way imaginable, not just in the physical sense but everything about his behavior, his sense of self. Magnus can’t stop thinking about the way Alec had looked at him while they’d been dancing, every single emotion he’d been feeling playing across his face, his earnest apologies when he’d stepped on Magnus’ foot. The way his face had lit up when he’d talked about his sister and his friends. How he’d been willing to sacrifice himself so that Magnus could choose to spend more time with the noblewomen if he wanted. Alec was unlike any other person Magnus had ever met, and Magnus doubted it had to do with the fact that Alec was from Idris. It just had something to do with Alec himself. And Magnus planned on spending the entire night with him – at the very least.

“This is beautiful,” Alec continues, looking around him with that smile still on his face. “Do you spend a lot of time here?”

“As often as I can,” Magnus replies. “When I was little, I used to hide in the maze over there.”

Alec’s smile widens. “What were you hiding from?”

“Everything. My tutors, mostly. I hated learning, especially military history and foreign languages.” He smirks at Alec here and is delighted when Alec mimics his expression.

“You must have annoyed the hell out of your tutors,” he teases, “especially if they had to chase you into the maze everyday.”

“It wasn’t _everyday_ ,” Magnus protests, rolling his eyes for effect. “But yes, they did nickname me the Royal Terror.”

Alec bursts out laughing and Magnus doesn’t think anyone can blame him for staring at the other man with stars in his eyes.

“What about you?” Magnus asks, nudging Alec gently with his shoulder. “Did you spend most of your childhood hiding in mazes?”

“Not exactly,” Alec says. “Mostly I spent a lot of time training in physical subjects. My parents found that more important than most academic areas – with a few exceptions, like foreign languages.”

“Physical subjects? Care to elaborate?”

“Archery, horseback riding, combat.”

“My, my,” Magnus says, sure that the look on his face is as appreciative as the tone of his voice. “I have to say, the activities certainly seemed to have paid off.”

To Magnus’ delight, a blush immediately rises in Alec’s face. “You’re one to talk,” he says after a moment of silent flustering. “As if I haven’t noticed the sleeves of your shirt practically straining at the seams.” 

“Alexander,” Magnus murmurs. “You’ve really been paying attention to me, haven’t you?” He’s mostly joking, which is why he’s surprised when Alec locks eyes with him and says seriously, “Since the moment I laid eyes on you.”

“I…” Magnus swallows. His next breath comes out a little more unevenly than the last. “That’s awfully sweet.”

“You’re sweet,” Alec whispers, and then, the next thing Magnus knows, they’re kissing. Alec cups Magnus’ face in his hands and Magnus, trembling at the touch, slides his fingers into Alec’s hair. The kisses are open-mouthed but still much more chaste than Magnus is used to, but it’s still the best kiss Magnus has ever experienced.

Alec is touching Magnus like he’s something precious – not like he’s fragile, but like he deserves to be caressed, treated like something invaluable. Magnus has never been touched like this before, and he loves it. He presses closer to Alec, who slides one hand down from his cheek to press against his chest. Right over his heartbeat.

The kiss ends but neither of them are willing to let go yet, both of them lingering in each other’s spaces, their eyes closed, breaths mingling. When Magnus finally opens his eyes, it’s to see Alec staring right at him. His hand is still placed over Magnus’ heart.

“What are you doing?” Magnus whispers.

“Your heartbeat. I liked listening to it. It was…grounding.”

“I’ve never met anyone quite like you before, darling,” Magnus murmurs, and leans in for another kiss.

“Here. I think this one matches,” Clary says, plucking a flower from the tree and handing it to Isabelle.

“Or this one?” Maia suggests, handing over another.

Isabelle accepts the second flower with a smile. “Thank you. Um…” She glances between the two flowers, deliberating.

“Here…may I?”

Isabelle smiles at Maia and nods, holding out both flowers. Maia, returning her smile, tucks Clary’s flower behind Isabelle’s ear and slips her own flower into the neckline of Isabelle’s dress. Isabelle’s breath escapes her in a shaky gasp when she feels the stem of Maia’s flower brush across her breasts.

“There,” Maia says, beaming. “You look divine.”

“Thank you,” Isabelle breathes. She glances over at Clary and is struck speechless at the look on the other woman’s face. It’s like Clary is looking into her very soul. Feeling flustered, she returns her attention to Maia, only to find Maia looking at her in the exact same way.

“It’s lovely here,” Isabelle manages to say. “The flowers, the trees. I can only imagine that the two of you spend quite some time here.”

“Every chance we get,” Clary agrees.

“Although I have to say, and I think Clary will agree with me,” Maia murmurs, “the garden certainly looks much better with you in it.”

Isabelle’s breath catches in her throat. They’re apparently skipping straight past subtlety, but she finds she doesn’t mind. Rather, she likes how direct the other two women are being. It makes her feel like she’s on more solid footing, even if it does make it difficult to breathe at times.

She lifts her chin and asks, “Is all you’re doing to do is say it?”

Maia’s face lights up. She glances over her shoulder at Clary, almost as if asking if this is really going to happen. Clary nods at her and Maia doesn’t waste another second. She looks back at Isabelle and a second later their mouths are meeting. One kiss melts into another, and another, and Isabelle takes Maia’s hand and places it directly over the flower tucked between her breasts.

Maia gasps in surprise and bites down on Isabelle’s bottom lip. Then, just like she had on the dance floor, she spins Isabelle away and into Clary’s arms – Clary, who strokes the flower behind Isabelle’s ear and then leans forward to press a kiss to the soft skin there. Isabelle shivers and feels goosebumps erupt on her skin. She buries a hand in Clary’s red tresses and pulls Clary closer to her to kiss her deeply.


	4. Chapter 4

“I have to go,” says Alec regretfully.

“Or you could stay,” Magnus counters, flashing Alec a charming smile and fluttering his eyelashes exaggeratingly.

Alec grins at him, helplessly charmed, and is halfway into leaning in for another kiss when he suddenly remembers himself. “I really have to go,” he repeats, pulling back. “It’s a long ride back to Idris and it’s not a good idea for me and Izzy and the others to stay so late.”

“I understand,” Magnus murmurs. “Do you want me to accompany you until you leave?”

“I…you can’t stay with me the entire time,” Alec protests, although it’s halfhearted. “You have other guests, you know.”

“Are you telling a future king what to do?” Magnus asks coolly, obviously teasing and making Alec struggle to choke down his laugh.

“If you want to accompany me, Your Highness, I certainly won’t tell you no.”

“That’s more like it,” says Magnus regally. He holds out his hand and Alec takes it, pulling Magnus to his feet. Magnus’ hand is warm in his and Alec holds on to him for much longer than necessary, reluctant to relinquish contact. Magnus stares back at him, his eyes glued to Alec’s, until Alec forces himself to look away.

“These ones,” Isabelle decides, handing the berries over to Clary.

Clary accepts the berries, noticing the electricity that sparks between them when their skin brushes together. She pops one into her mouth and closes her eyes in appreciation when the sharp sweetness of the fruit bursts across her tongue.

“How did it taste?” Isabelle asks.

“Incredible,” Clary answers, “but you should try for yourself.”

Isabelle plucks some berries from the bush and places two on her tongue. Her eyes flutter shut and she breathes out a pleasantly surprised “mmm”. Clary shifts where she sits and glances over at Maia. They exchange looks, both of them knowing exactly what the other was thinking – how lucky they were to find her.

“Maia, you need to try these,” Isabelle says when she opens her eyes. “Here…” She hands some of the berries to Clary, then takes some herself. Together, the two of them move toward Maia and take turns placing the berries on her tongue.

Maia’s lips are stained with the juice, a fact that neither Clary or Isabelle have missed. Clary leans in, very aware of Isabelle’s gaze flitting between her and the expectant look on Maia’s face, when there’s the sound of a throat clearing behind them.

“Sorry to interrupt,” an unfamiliar voice says. Clary turns and sees the man Isabelle had pointed out earlier – her brother. He’s standing next to Magnus, who looks very amused by what he sees.

“Alec,” Isabelle says, sounding startled. Yes, Alec, that’s how she’d referred to him earlier.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Alec repeats. “But, Iz, I think we need to get going. It’s getting late.”

“Right,” says Isabelle quietly. She looks back at Clary and Maia. “I guess this is goodnight.”

“But not goodbye,” Maia interjects. “Right?”

Clary sees Isabelle hesitate. Feeling for her, she cuts in with a hasty, “We’ll write to you.”

Isabelle looks at her with evident relief. “I look forward to it.”

“May we accompany you to your carriage?” Maia asks.

“Of course,” Alec replies. 

The walk back to the carriage is silent. Clary can feel Isabelle’s eyes on her; every time she looks, she can feel the other woman’s gaze flitting back and forth between Maia and herself, but neither of them say a word. Magnus and Alec are silent as well, even though the tension radiating between them speaks volumes.

At the carriage, Clary sees two women she doesn’t recognize waiting for them. She can tell by one glance that they’re a couple, and she smiles automatically as she takes in the way they’re whispering and giggling with one another. At the sound of their approach, both of them look up. When they notice Magnus, they drop into simultaneous curtsies.

“Please, that’s not necessary,” Magnus tells them.

“Thank you for inviting us, Your Highness,” one of the women says. “We had a wonderful time.”

“The pleasure was all mine,” Magnus responds, smiling. “I wish you could all stay longer, but I understand you have a long journey ahead of you.”

There’s a moment of strained silence. It’s clear that none of them wish to part from one another. Finally, Alec clears his throat and opens the carriage door. “Thank you again,” he says to Magnus without looking at him.

“Wait,” Magnus says abruptly, his hand shooting out to lock around Alec’s wrist. “You’ll write too, won’t you?”

“Of course.” Alec clears this throat a second time before turning away to open the carriage door. Isabelle climbs in, followed by the two other women, and Alec last. There’s one final moment where Clary and Maia stare at Isabelle through the window, their hands clasped together, and then the carriage pulls away and takes her from their sight.

Magnus feels numb. He recognizes that he’s being ridiculous, that he shouldn’t feel this hung up on a man he’s known for only three hours. But he can’t help it. He’d felt such a strong connection to him, from the very first moment he’d laid eyes on him, and that connection had only strengthened the more they’d talked with one another, every time he’d made Alec laugh, every time Alec had teased him and looked at him with hearts in his eyes. That was what was making it so difficult – knowing that Alec felt the same, just as strongly. He’d seen it in every glance, had felt it in every touch and kiss.

But now Alec was gone, and Magnus doesn’t know what to do. The ball is far from over, and it’s not like he can lie about not feeling well and go hide in his bedchambers. Crown princes don’t have luxuries like that – even though the thought of having to return to the ballroom and dance with other people for the rest of the night is the very definition of unappealing.

He turns when he heard Clary heave a miserable little sigh. “Let me guess. Isabelle Lightwood?”

Clary and Maia nod in unison. “Alec Lightwood?” Maia asks knowingly.

Magnus sighs and nods, then squares his shoulders and turns back toward the doors leading to the ballroom. “Let’s get this over with.”

Alec spends the entire carriage ride with his head resting on the window, staring unseeingly out at the landscape flying past. He feels like he left some part of himself behind at the ball. With Magnus.

It doesn’t make any sense, he knows that. He spent only a few hours with Magnus, there’s no reason for him to feel such a strong attachment. But he can’t help it. He remembers the first time he saw Magnus, sitting on his throne like it was made for him. Watching him switch effortlessly over to Idris’ language, talking to him and Isabelle like they were his equals, and not foreign commoners. The way Magnus had taken command when they danced, showing so much control but also simultaneous grace and poise. Alec remembers staring at him with his mouth dry for most of the night, unable to believe how someone could turn the simplest of movements into an art form.

When they’d kissed by the fountain, Alec had placed his hand over Magnus’ heart and felt the rapid beating of his pulse and realized that Magnus was in just as deep as he was. That had terrified him, but he hadn’t been able to force himself to pull away, not until he realized how late it was and told himself that if he didn’t leave now, he never would.

Not that he’d wanted to leave. But he’d had no other choice. Or rather, he hadn’t been willing to subject Magnus to the other option – continuing a relationship with him would be disastrous for Magnus. There was no way he could ask Magnus to give up everything to be in a relationship with a person who had a history like Alec’s. Magnus would be disappointed at first, but he would get over it and then find someone more suitable for him. It hurt, unbelievably so, but it was for the best.

“How was the ball?” Asmodeus asks. It’s the first thing he says when Magnus enters the room.

“Long.” Magnus flops down into a chair next to his father’s bed. “I’m glad it’s over.”

“Did you meet anyone promising?”

Magnus hesitates for a moment before deciding to tell the truth – his father would find out regardless. “Yes.”

“I would ask for their name, but I’m not feeling my best today. My doctors tell me I need rest.”

“Can I do anything for you?” Magnus asks, starting to rise from his seat, but Asmodeus waves him back down.

“No, my son. I just need to stress upon you the importance of choosing your spouse as soon as possible.”

“Are you giving me a deadline?” Magnus asks carefully.

“I have no choice. I don’t know how much longer I will be here. When I leave, I need to know that the future of this country is secure.”

“All right,” Magnus says.

“What’s this? Are you not actively fighting against me for the first time in your life?” Asmodeus asks, raising his eyebrows.

“I’m not,” Magnus confirms. He rises from his chair.

“Where are you going?”

“I have a letter to write,” Magnus calls over his shoulder.

_Dear Alexander,_

_I hope you’re doing well._

_It’s only been one day since the ball but I already miss you terribly. I can’t stop thinking about the way you kissed me by the fountain. Earlier today I pressed my hand over my heart and listened to my own heartbeat, but it wasn’t the same. I wish you were here to do it for me._

_Please tell me how you’re doing._

_Love,_

_Magnus_

_Dear Magnus,_

_I wish I could be there too. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you either. Meeting you was definitely the most fun I’ve had in…well, ever. If I’d had a choice I would’ve stayed forever._

_Love,_

_Alec_

_Dear Alec,_

_Do you not like being called Alexander? My apologies if I used the wrong name to address you._

_Please do clarify what you mean about choices. If you wanted to stay last night, I would have been the last person to object._

_Love,_

_Magnus_

_Magnus,_

_No one calls me Alexander but you. But please don’t stop. I love it._

_I wanted to stay with you more than anything. But I can’t do that to you. My family’s past is too dark – it’s nothing that a prince like you should get mixed up in. I’m sorry that I led you on at the ball. I should’ve stayed away from you, but you were impossible to resist. Now I need to be strong._

_Love,_

_Alexander_

_Alexander,_

_Please don’t say that. Whatever your past is like, I only care about you in the present. I don’t want you to resist me. Just come back to me._

_All my love,_

_Magnus_

He receives no response. He writes multiple follow-up letters, but they all go unanswered. When he checks in with Maia and Clary, it’s to find that they’ve also written multiple letters to Isabelle, without a single response.

Meanwhile, the clock ticks down on Magnus’ deadline, and he starts to grow desperate. Asmodeus would have him choose someone else, anyone else, but he can’t do it. He wants Alexander and him only.

“Am I being closed-minded?” Magnus asks Dot and Catarina one day. He’s watching them sharpen weapons, one of his favorite things to do. The two women are so skilled and watching them work has always been a mesmerizing activity.

“That depends,” Dot says, handing over a sword she’s just sharpened for her wife’s inspection. “What makes you think you’re being closed-minded?”

“It’s about Alexander. Am I being ridiculous by closing myself off to any possibilities beyond him? I met a lot of great people, men and women alike, at the ball. There are plenty of other opportunities for me to choose from. But Alexander…” He sighs. “I close my eyes and I can’t see anyone but him. I know it sounds crazy. I talked to him for three hours that night. I shouldn’t be this attached, but I am.”

“I think you answered your own question already,” Catarina replies. “Look, he obviously made an impression on you. Your father is going to make you choose someone you met at the ball. When your options are already that limited, why not choose the one person you haven’t been able to stop thinking about?”

“Where are you going?” Dot asks in amusement when Magnus leaps to his feet.

“To get Clary and Maia. We’re going to go find the Lightwood siblings.”

“This looks like a good spot,” Isabell hears Helen announce, then drop her bags unceremoniously on the ground.

“Great job, babe,” Aline says, skipping over to her for a quick kiss. “Want to help me build the fire?”

“Do you even have to ask?” Helen smirks at her, then looks over her shoulder at Alec and Isabelle. “We’re going to go gather firewood. Be right back.”

“Be safe,” Alec calls, then turns to assist Isabelle with pulling dried foodstuffs out of their bags.

Helen and Aline return about ten minutes later, their arms full of twigs and branches. The four of them build the fire together, then huddle together in front of it to munch on their dinner.

“Should we head home tomorrow?” Aline asks.

“I think so,” Alec answers. “We’ve been gone a week, we should stop in at home to get caught up on anything we might have missed.”

“I doubt anything has – ” Isabelle is interrupted by the sound of horses – not their own – riding up behind them. She turns and sees Magnus, Clary, Maia, and two women she vaguely recognizes from the ball – Dot and Catarina, her brain supplies a second later; Maia had pointed them out to her.

“Your Highness,” says Helen in surprise. “What a pleasant surprise. Please, would you like to join us?”

“Thank you, Helen,” Magnus responds, inclining his head politely. “That is, if it’s all right with Alec and Isabelle?”

Isabelle can feel Alec shudder next to her. She reaches down to squeeze his hand tightly in hers before nodding and saying, “Of course. We would be honored.”


	5. Chapter 5

“We didn’t mean to interrupt your dinner,” Clary says as their group takes seats. “We actually weren’t expecting to find you here.”

Isabelle is sharp, however, and asks pointedly, “ _Here_?”

Maia meets her gaze unflinchingly. “Yes, here. We actually thought you’d be back at Lightwood Manor by now. How long have you been traveling these parts?”

“We went home first,” says Isabelle slowly. “But we’ve been on the road for the past week.”

“We sent our last letter two weeks ago,” Maia points out. Isabelle says nothing, instead looking down at her hand, which Maia can see is joined with her brother’s.

“You never wrote back,” Maia continues. “Did you not receive our letters?”

“I received them,” says Isabelle quietly. “I just…didn’t know how to respond.”

“Why not?” That’s Magnus. Maia glances over to see him looking directly at Alec. She also notices Isabelle wince slightly as Alec’s grip tightens around her hand.

“We need more firewood,” Alec says abruptly, jumping to his feet. “I’ll go get it.”

“Alexander –” Magnus tries, but it’s no use. Alec has disappeared further into the forest, out of everyone’s view.

There’s a pregnant silence once he’s gone. Dot and Catarina fall into conversation with Helen and Aline, which leaves Magnus, Isabelle, and Clary and Maia to stare at one another awkwardly.

“You never wrote back,” Maia repeats. “We wrote you four or five letters.”

“I know,” Isabelle mumbles. “I wanted to write back. Believe me, I did. But I was scared.”

“What were you afraid of?” Clary asks gently.

“What _are_ you afraid of,” Maia corrects.

“You don’t understand what our family has done,” Isabelle says, her gaze dropping again. “If you knew what is in our past –”

“IZZY!” Alec is running toward them, panic all over his face, pulling what looks like a bow and a quiver of arrows from his back. Maia leaps to her feet, instinctively reaching out to shove Clary and Isabelle behind her, even though she has no idea what’s caused Alec’s extreme alarm.

Alec lets an arrow fly and it notches itself immediately in the arm of a man who had been sneaking up on their resting spot. Not only that, but it snags his sleeve at the perfect angle to effectively pin him in place against a nearby tree. The would-be attacker is literally halted in his tracks.

“That was amazing,” Maia tells Alec, casting him an admiring glance. “Like, really amazing. Magnus, did you know he could do that?”

“I knew he was a skilled archer,” says Magnus, “but I didn’t know he was capable of this, exactly.”

“How did you know he was coming?” Catarina asks Alec.

“I was coming back to you all and I saw him approaching,” Alec says, looking a bit uncomfortable under all the scrutiny. “It was just instinct.”

“He’s a Circle member,” says Clary suddenly. “Look, he has the rune on his neck.”

Everyone swivels to look at the man trapped against the tree. “Circle member?” Maia repeats, directing her gaze back at Isabelle. “Does this has have something to do with your family history?”

“I…” Isabelle bites her lip, visibly upset.

“People don’t just go around hunting down Circle members for no reason,” Maia continues. “Do they?”

“No.” Isabelle takes a deep breath and exhales it shakily. “The reason we’re hunting down Circle members is because –”

“Isabelle,” Alec interrupts. “Don’t.” He sounds like he’s pleading, and Maia suddenly feels guilty for pushing.

“You don’t have to tell us,” she tells Isabelle. “I’m sorry for prying.”

“No, it’s ok.” Isabelle reaches out and takes her brother’s hand again. “Alec, it’s time. We can’t keep lying to them. We can’t push them away without at least telling them why.” She shakes her hair out of her face and meets Maia’s and Clary’s gazes head-on. “The reason we’re hunting down Circle members is because our parents used to be in the Circle. And not just the Circle. They were in the inner ranks with Valentine myself.”

There’s only a short pause before Clary asks, “Is that all?”

“Is that all?” Aline echoes. “It’s awful. The Circle literally participated in genocide.”

“Your parents being in the Circle isn’t quite as awful as Valentine himself being your father,” Clary says dryly.

There’s a stunned silence which lasts for several seconds. When neither Alec nor Isabelle looks like they’re going to say anything, Maia nods at Clary and Clary continues her story.

“Valentine’s my father. He did a bunch of horrible things before my mom managed to escape with me and bring me to Edom. She had a friend there named Luke who took us in. For all intents and purposes, Luke is my father.

“So, if anyone can understand what it’s like to have an awful parent who you feel ashamed of every single day, it’s me. But I don’t let it control my life. I’ve done my best to be a good person and prove to myself that I’m nothing like him.”

“And she’s done an amazing job,” Maia chimes in, pulling her girlfriend close and pressing a kiss to her temple. “She’s the most compassionate person I know. Your parents don’t make you who you are. Clary is living proof of that.”

“It’s not that simple,” Alec protests.

“Why not?” Magnus asks softly.

Alec’s eyes cut over to him, but he doesn’t respond. Maia glances over at Isabelle and sees her pale considerably.

Before either Maia or Isabelle can speak, however, Alec finds his voice again. “Isabelle and I are both engaged,” he announces abruptly. “Our mother told us when we arrived home from the ball. A noblewoman from southern Idris for me, and her brother for Izzy.”

“A noble _woman_?” Magnus echoes, his voice going flat. “Alexander – may I speak to you privately?”

Alec hesitates for a moment before nodding jerkily. Without a word to anyone, he spins on his heel and marches further into the forest. Magnus exchanges a look with Maia, who nods encouragingly, before following after him.

Once they’re gone, Maia returns her attention to Isabelle. “I didn’t mean to corner you,” Maia tells her. “I just wanted to make it clear that – whatever your worries were, that made you not answer our letters – they were unfounded. You had no reason to worry. Clary and I care about you. We want to be with you.”

“It’s ok,” Isabelle says quietly. She takes a deep breath and releases it shakily. “I needed the wake-up call.”

“Meaning?” Clary asks.

“Meaning that, I’m engaged. That’s what I need to focus on right now. It’s important for my family and I owe it to them. I’m sorry.”

Clary opens her mouth, but Helen cuts her off. “Don’t bother arguing with her. She and Alec are dead-set on this. Family obligation and honor and all that.”

“Your family honor is dependent on you getting married to a stranger?” Clary asks, her voice small.

“My family lost their good standing when they sided with Valentine,” Isabelle explains. Maia notices that she isn’t looking either of them directly in the eye. “Alec and I marrying into a good family with a clean history, that will help put us back on the map.”

“I told you about my family history. I told you where I come from, but that doesn’t matter. Magnus, Maia, Luke, everyone in my life – none of them care about my past. They all stand by me. Just like we would stand by you and Alec. You don’t have to do this.”

“I do,” Isabelle insists, and when her voice trembles, Maia knows they’ve lost. “I’m sorry, but I do. It’s for the best. For everyone.”

“Except for you,” Clary says, her voice shaking as well. Isabelle shakes her head and looks away.

“I know this is really none of my business,” Magnus says once he and Alec are out of earshot of the others. “We don’t really know each other that well. But I care about you, Alexander, and I only want you to be happy. And I know you marrying this woman won’t make you happy.”

“Me being happy is irrelevant,” Alec says brusquely. “This is about my family. Don’t you understand, Magnus? If Izzy and I do this, if we marry into this family, it’ll do wonders for our reputation. And we won’t have to hunt anymore. We won’t have to spend day after day hunting down Circle members and bringing them to justice in order to prove ourselves.”

“Alexander, at the risk of sounding arrogant, wouldn’t marrying into a royal family do even greater wonders for your reputation? If improving your standing in society is all you’re after –”

“Magnus – ” Alec shakes his head, seeming stunned. “I don’t know what’s more startling, the fact that you think I’m only doing this for the sake of my ‘standing’ in society, or the fact that you just suggested I marry you – ”

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” Magnus says hastily. “It’s just that it seems like an effective solution to solve all your problems.”

“I can’t marry you,” Alec says, shaking his head. “This marriage has to seem like a natural step. My parents have known the family for years, it makes sense for us to marry them. Marrying into a foreign royal family would be such an obviously calculated move – other people would never accept it.”

“Is that really all that matters?” Magnus asks, beginning to grow irritated. “Other people’s view of you?”

“I thought you of all people would understand,” Alec snaps back, “considering you must have grown up at the center of attention.”

Magnus has to laugh outright at that. “Do you know how many people hate my family, Alexander? Oh, sure, we have a large following of loyal supporters. But ever since my family took power, there’s been an equally large group of people who would love to see us lose the throne. If I married a white woman and produced several half-white heirs, that would quiet those people down – at least somewhat. And still, knowing that, knowing that that’s probably what everyone expects me to do – you know what I still want?”

He can see the muscles in Alec’s throat moving as he struggles to breathe, to speak, but ultimately Alec remains silent. So Magnus answers his own question.

“I want you. I want to marry you, damn what anyone else says. Alexander…” He steps closer and hears Alec’s strangled breathing. “I admit, we barely know each other. But that one night we spent together was enough for me. I know what I want, and that’s you. I’m choosing you.”

“I can’t…I can’t be that selfish, Magnus,” Alec whispers shakily.

“What it is selfish about it? Your own happiness equates to selfishness?”

“It’s not just about me or my family. You said it yourself, a large portion of your subjects wouldn’t want you to marry me. I can’t put you and your throne at risk like that.”

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take,” Magnus insists.

“I’m not.”

So that’s it then. This is what heartbreak feels like. “All right,” he says hollowly. “Well. I guess I should be going then.”

“Magnus…”

Magnus ignores him and makes his way back to the others. When he returns, Isabelle is wiping her eyes and Clary and Maia are standing awkwardly a few feet away from her.

“It’s time to go,” he announces, directing the words in Dot and Catarina’s direction.

Dot and Catarina exchange worried glances but don’t argue with him. They say goodbye to Helen and Aline and make their way over to Magnus.

Magnus hears movement behind him and starts to turn, but it’s not Alec chasing after him; it’s Maia and Clary moving toward Isabelle. They take turns leaning in and pressing kisses to her forehead. Clary whispers something in her ear before stepping away.

Alec, meanwhile, is standing several feet behind everyone, his fists clenched at his sides. Magnus can see a fine tremor running through his body; even his fists are shaking. Yet he doesn’t move from his spot. Magnus takes one last look at him before turning back around and heading for his horse.


	6. Chapter 6

“Are you ok?” Aline asks, riding up next to him about an hour after they’ve been back on the road.

When Alec doesn’t answer, she amends, “Are you _going_ to be ok?”

“No,” he answers after several moments of silence. “But I’ll survive.”

“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” she says quietly.

“Do what?”

“Put on a brave face. It’s not necessary. It’s just me here. You can tell me what’s really going on in that stupidly altruistic brain of yours.”

“I’m not…being altruistic,” Alec mumbles. “I’m just doing my duty.”

“Alec,” Aline says, her voice gentle, “this isn’t about duty. You can’t always think of listening to your mom’s orders as your mission in life. Especially not now. You know your mom has changed. If this engagement thing had happened a few years ago, then sure, things would suck, but you know she’s a lot better about that kind of stuff nowadays. If you talk to her, she might listen.”

“And what good would that do?” Alec argues. “I’d just be disappointing everyone. Our family’s reputation would still be in the garbage, my mom would be upset, so would our ex-fiancés…”

“And you? It’s ok if you’re miserable your entire life? If Izzy is? And how disappointed will everyone be when you and your fiancé don’t have children?”

Alec has no answer for that.

“Your mom doesn’t know you’re gay,” Aline points out. “If she did, she probably wouldn’t have arranged this marriage.”

When Alec continues to remain silent, Aline knocks her knee against his. “Just think about it, ok?” She waits for Alec to nod before she lets her horse fall back in line with Helen’s.

“Are we being ridiculous?” Clary whispers. She lifts her head from the crook of Maia’s neck and looks into her girlfriend’s concerned face.

“What makes you say that, babe?” Maia whispers back.

“About Isabelle. That we’re so miserable about losing her. We only knew her for a short while…”

“She made quite an impression on us,” Maia admits.

“I don’t want you to think…that I’m not satisfied with you or our relationship. You’re everything to me, Maia, please don’t ever doubt that. It’s just –”

“We both wanted her,” Maia reminds her. “That doesn’t have any effect on our relationship. We talked about this beforehand. Without Isabelle – we’ll be fine. Just like we were before.”

“But it would be better,” Clary says hesitantly, “with her here.”

“It would,” Maia agrees, and pulls Clary back against her side.

When Isabelle comes to a halt before her mother’s office door, it takes several moments for her to calm down enough to knock. Finally, she takes a deep breath, shakes her hair back from her face, and knocks three times.

“Enter,” Maryse calls.

Isabelle takes another deep breath before pushing open the door and stepping inside.

“Isabelle.” Maryse smiles as she looks up from her papers. “How was your trip? Did you just get back?”

“About an hour ago. Are you busy? I have something important I need to discuss with you.”

“Of course.” Maryse set down her papers. “You have my undivided attention.”

“It’s about…my engagement. And Alec’s.”

“You’re displeased?”

“I met someone at the ball. So did Alec.”

“Someone? Or another fiancé?”

Isabelle stops short, not sure how to interpret her mother’s tone.

Maryse sighs. “I’m not as oblivious as you think I am. I noticed how you and Alec reacted when I informed you of the engagement plans. I also noticed how distracted the both of you have been ever since you returned from the ball. I’d meant to talk to you both about it, but you’ve been gone so often over the past few weeks…”

“Well…” Isabelle begins hesitantly. “Neither Alec nor I want to get married. But we weren’t sure how to tell you. We know how important – ”

Maryse holds up a hand. “Isabelle, please. Whatever I did to make you and Alec believe that I’d want you to both enter loveless marriages for my sake…well, I know what I did. I pushed both you and Alec too hard as children, put too much pressure on you…and I’m sorry. I only proposed this engagement because I thought it would make you happy. A well-deserved retirement, so to speak.”

“You did it for us?” Isabelle’s voice shakes in surprise.

“With the best of intentions,” Maryse confirms. “I see now that I was wrong.”

“Alec and I would both love to get engaged. Just not…to the Verlacs.”

“So who did you have in mind?”

Before Isabelle can explain, there’s a knock on the door and Alec steps inside. “Mom, I have to talk to you about something important.”

“Beat you to it, big brother,” Isabelle says, grinning at him.

“What’s with the long face?” Luke asks when he walks into his office and spots Magnus slumped miserably in the chair in front of his desk.

“Haven’t you heard? I have two days to go before my deadline to pick a spouse runs out. And the only spouse I want refuses to give me the time of day.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. What happened?”

“He says he can’t marry me because it would be too selfish,” Magnus mumbles.

“Selfish? In what way?”

“It would be selfish of him to marry me instead of the wife his family picked out for him. And selfish of him to marry me considering his family history.”

“His family history? Who is he?”

“Alexander Lightwood.”

“Lightwood? The Circle members?”

“Former Circle members,” Magnus corrects. “Why? Do you know them?”

“I used to,” Luke confirms. “We were in the Circle together.”

“You were in the Circle?” Magnus asks, startled, but a moment later he realizes it makes sense; that was why he’d taken Clary in and raised her as his own.

“Briefly. I got out before it was too late. But while I was in, I knew Maryse and Robert Lightwood. Robert left Idris and vanished years ago. Maryse devoted her life – and the lives of her children – to tracking down former Circle members and putting them in prison.”

“Is that how she stayed out of prison herself?”

“Yes. And now, according to you, her son doesn’t want to marry you because he’s ashamed of his mother’s past?”

“That’s what he says. I tried to tell him I don’t care about that. He’s not responsible for that, just like Clary can’t help being Valentine’s daughter. But he wouldn’t listen.”

“I’m sorry,” Luke repeats. “I –” Whatever he’d been about to say is interrupted by a sudden, huge boom which rocks the floor beneath their feet.

“Magnus, get to safety,” Luke says sharply.

“No, I want to help,” Magnus argues.

“GO,” Luke all but yells, running out of the room without looking back.

Magnus hesitates for a moment, wanting to go after him, but after a moment he changes his mind and takes off in the opposite direction, toward Clary and Maia’s quarters.

“Stop,” Alec says abruptly, cutting Helen off mid sentence.

Helen falls silent, hopefully understanding that he wasn’t interrupting her on purpose, but rather because he’d noticed something dangerous.

“What is it?” Isabelle whispers, pulling up her horse next to his.

Alec looks around for a moment, then gestures for everyone to follow him. He leads everyone to a small clearing, where they bring their horses to a nearby stream to drink.

“There were unfamiliar guards posted outside,” Alec explains.

“How did you notice that from so far away?” Helen asks.

“I noticed the guards last time I was here. Their uniforms are completely different now.”

“The castle’s been taken over?” Isabelle gasps.

“I think so,” Alec says grimly.

“How do we help?” Aline asks.

“We need to figure out how to get in there without detection,” Alec says. “I think I have an idea. Isabelle, do you think you can distract the guards? Pretend to be injured, or whatever you think will work. Once they’re distracted, I’ll try to take them out.” He pulls his bow off his back.

“Got it,” Isabelle says, reaching down to rip a hole into the leg of her trousers. “I have to look the part,” she explains as she rips another hole into the opposite leg.

After she’s finished, she gives everyone quick hugs and then limps out of the clearing. Alec, Helen, and Aline follow after her and hover on the edges of the trees to watch as she approaches the guards, limping and hiccupping out sobs. “Please help me,” she gasps. “I fell off my horse about a kilometer back…”

When the guards make their way toward her, Alec sees his chance. He quickly scales one of the trees and then, perched on one of the upper branches, he shoots off multiple arrows which take the guards down. He avoids any fatal areas, his goal simply being to knock them unconscious. When he sees them fall down and Izzy turns to give him the thumbs up, he, Helen, and Aline run to join her.

“We can’t go in through the front doors, there’s probably more guards posted just inside,” Aline says.

“We could probably scale the wall. There’s some adequate footholds over here,” Helen suggests, indicating the section of wall.

“Let’s get going,” Alec says.

The climb is difficult, to say the least. When they reach the top of the wall, it takes them another several minutes of searching to find a way off the balustrade and into the castle itself. This is then followed by several additional minutes of crawling through attic space before they finally manage to emerge at the top of a staircase.

“I have to say,” Isabelle says, brushing dirt and dust off her clothes, “this isn’t how I imagined my reunion with Clary and Maia happening.”

“Me neither,” Alec mutters. He peers around the corner of their hallway. “I don’t see anyone. Let’s make it quick.”

The four of them begin making their way down the hallway, as quickly but as carefully as they can. Just as they’re approaching the corner, they pass by a room with its door ajar and Alec, who just happens to be glancing at the door as he passes, spots a familiar figure lying on the bed.

He skids to a halt. “Magnus?”

Isabelle whips around. “What?!”

He gestures for her to come closer. She does, with Helen and Aline hot on her heels. Sure enough, when they push open the door to the room, Magnus is lying motionless on the bed – and he’s not alone. Maia and Clary, also unconscious, are crumpled on the floor.

“Are they injured?” Helen asks in a hushed voice.

Isabelle crouches down next to Maia and presses her thumb down on her wrist. “Her pulse is steady,” she announces. “It seems like she’s just asleep.”

“Same here,” Alec says from next to Magnus’ bed.

“Can we just…wake them?” Aline suggests.

Alec tries gently shaking Magnus’ shoulder, but with no results. Next he tries tapping on Magnus’ shoulder, with slightly more force, but there’s still no reaction. Isabelle tries the same with Clary, then Maia, but also unsuccessfully.

“What else can we try?” Isabelle asks, frustrated.

Alec stares down at Magnus, his heart aching. If he’d been braver before, if he’d gone with Magnus when Magnus had asked back in the forest….maybe none of this would have happened. He has no idea who’s taken over the castle or why, or what they did to Magnus to leave him like this. What can he do? How can he help? How will he ever be able to forgive himself if he can’t wake Magnus up, or if he allows Magnus’ castle to be destroyed?

He slowly strokes his knuckles down the soft skin of Magnus’ cheek. Magnus’ skin is still warm, which he finds reassuring. Without thinking about it, he leans down and presses a quick kiss to the skin his fingers had just traced.

He’s barely pulled away when Magnus stirs. Alec freezes, but he wasn’t imagining things – Magnus is waking up. His eyes blink open and meet Alec’s. Magnus looks confused for a moment, before abruptly sitting up and reaching out to grab Alec’s hand. “Alexander? Is that really you?”

Alec’s voice feels a little choked when he responds. “Yeah, Magnus, it’s me.”

“What’s happening?” Magnus his asks, his gaze flitting rapidly around the room, from Alec to Helen and Aline, then to Isabelle crouching on the floor next to Clary and Maia.

“I have no idea. We came here to talk to you, only to find the castle under siege. We managed to sneak in here and found you unconscious.”

“I think it was some kind of spell,” Magnus says, rubbing his forehead. “Valentine –”

“Valentine?!” Alec, Isabelle, Helen, and Aline all gasp in unison. Alec’s stomach sinks. They’d never been able to find Valentine, not in their many years of searching, so the idea of the man being in the same building as them seems unreal, to say the least.

“Valentine,” Magnus repeats. “He’s the one behind the attack. He put some kind of spell over the entire castle, to render us all unconscious. So we couldn’t fight back.”

“The entire castle?” Alec asks in dismay. He has no idea how he’s going to wake them all up. Was kissing Magnus really what woke him up and ended the spell? If so, he’s not exactly keen on kissing every person in this castle…

“Izzy,” he says, turning to his sister, “try to wake Maia and Clary up.”

Isabelle bites her lip hesitantly for a moment, then leans in to press a soft kiss to Clary’s cheek. Without waiting, she moves to do the same to Maia.

Both women sit up, looking just as confused as Magnus had.

“Isabelle,” Clary breathes when she notices her. “What are you doing here?”

“To ask if you’re still interested,” Isabelle answers, “in me, I mean.”

Maia snorts. “You picked a very convenient time to arrive, I have to say.”

“It’s not exactly how I planned it,” Isabelle admits. She helps the two women to their feet. As soon as they notice Magnus is also awake, they rush to embrace him.

“We need to come up with a plan,” Alec says to Magnus, but before Magnus can reply, the door bursts open and Dot and Catarina rush in, followed by a man Alec doesn’t recognize.

“Magnus!” the man runs to his side, followed closely by Catarina and Dot. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, Luke,” Magnus assures him. “Luke, this is Alexander Lightwood, and his sister Isabelle. They broke into the castle to help us.” Before Luke can say anything in response, Magnus asks urgently, “Did you check on my father?”

“He’s fine,” Luke tells him. “I checked on him as soon as I woke up and he’s fine – a little tired and weak, but overall ok. I have several men guarding him now.” He looks over at Alec. “I don’t know what you did, but you somehow managed to wake all of us up. We were all under Valentine’s spell, whatever it was, but now we’re awake and we can fight back. Whatever you did threw a wrench in his plans, so I thank you, sincerely.”

“No problem,” Alec says. “So now what?”

“I think I have an idea,” Catarina says, pulling a piece of parchment out of her pocket. When she spreads it out, Alec realizes it’s a map of the castle.

Catarina quickly runs through a plan of attack. Once everyone has their orders, they make to split up and take their positions, but Luke stops them.

“Magnus, I’m not really comfortable with you being involved here,” Luke says. “I’m the head of your security team, as well as on your father’s council. I can’t in good conscience send you in battle.” His gaze moved over to Clary. “Or you.”

“Luke, this is my home. I have to protect it. And my people who live here,” Magnus tells him. “You won’t keep me from fighting to defend them.”

“And you won’t be able to stop me from helping you and Magus,” Clary says, raising her chin defiantly.

“I think you’re outnumbered,” Alec says, his lips twitching.

Luke sighs but nods in acquiescence.

“You came back,” Magnus says as he and Alec move down the hallway together.

“I did. Magnus, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have turned you away in the forest. I was just scared. I realized my mistake as soon as I got home.”

“So you really came here to tell me you changed your mind? You’re accepting my proposal?”

“I don’t remember you actually proposing,” Alec says, his lips twitching again.

Magnus comes to an abrupt holt. “Are you making fun of my not-proposal?”

“Maybe,” says Alec, smirking. “But only because I want to be the one who proposes to you. Which I would do right now if we weren’t currently on the lookout for a genocidal maniac.”

“I’m holding you to that,” Magnus says, grabbing Alec’s hand and pressing a quick kiss to his knuckles.

“It’s a promise,” Alec assures him.

“What made you change your mind?” Maia asks as she takes her place between Clary and Isabelle.

“I realized I’d made the wrong decision about five minutes into our journey home,” Isabelle answers. “As soon as I arrived home, I went to my mother to change her mind. Except it turns out she didn’t need much convincing.”

“So she’s fine with you being here?” Maia double-checks. Clary looks over her shoulder and sees Maia and Isabelle sharing a warm look, and her heart skips a beat at the sight of her two favorite women smiling at each other with such obvious affection.

“She is,” Isabelle murmurs. Clary starts to turn properly toward them, but just then, she hears a noise from up ahead. She tenses and tightens her grip on her sword –

It’s Valentine, and he’s not alone. Right behind him are at least twenty Circle members.

“Clarissa!” Valentine greets. “I should’ve known I’d run into you.” He chuckles, as if he’s amused by the sight of his daughter pointing a sword directly at him. “No daughter of mine would sit out of a fight.”

“Don’t call me that,” Clary growls at him.

“Clarissa,” he tuts. “You should be proud of your bloodline. Instead of wasting your time with…” His eyes trail over Isabelle and Maia, both of whom are also aiming their swords at him. “These people,” he finishes, the disdain practically dripping from his words and making it very clear what he means.

“You’d better watch your mouth,” Clary tells him, “or I’ll chop it off for you.”

Valentine begins laughing. And then he continues laughing, as if Clary has just told him a hilarious joke. His men join in on the laughter, until Clary is surrounded by men pointing swords at her and laughing as if they find her presence nothing other humorous.

Well, not entirely. As she watches, she sees Alec, Magnus, Luke, Helen, Aline, Dot, and Catarina appear behind Valentine’s men. She catches Luke’s gaze and sees him nod at her. She slowly lowers her sword, and out of the corner of her eye, sees Maia and Isabelle do the same. Valentine smirks, clearly thinking he’s overpowered her, and that’s when the others attack from behind.

The next several minutes are chaotic. She’s aware of the others moving around her in a frenzy, can hear the clanging of the swords and the shouts of the fighters. Alec and Magnus are working together, moving together in such fluid harmony it’s like their one person. Maia and Isabelle are also a perfect team; whenever Maia strikes, Isabelle is there to follow through with the next necessary move.

Then Clary sees her opening. Dot and Catarina have pushed Valentine towards Luke, who boxes him in; Valentine shoves at Luke, screaming at him not to touch him, but Luke refuses to back down. When he glances over and sees Clary approaching, he suddenly shoves Valentine forward, and Clary stabs her father as hard as she can. She channels all the rage and hatred she’s felt toward him her entire life into her swing. Her efforts work; she feels as well as sees the life drain from Valentine’s face.

“Clarissa?” Valentine gasps. “Why…?”

“I’m purifying my bloodline,” Clary tells him through gritted teeth. His eyes widen and then he drops to the ground. He’s dead.

Breathing hard, Clary looks up and sees that the others have gotten most of the Circle members under control. The few who haven’t been captured yet attempt to escape, but they’re no match for Isabelle, who tackles one of them to the ground with enough force that it startles the others into losing their balance and tripping over themselves. Within seconds, Dot, Luke, and Catarina have rounded them up and brought them over to the others.

“We’d better get them down to the dungeons,” Luke says.

“What about, uh…” Maia nods down at Valentine.

Clary sees Magnus glance over at her. She isn’t sure what he sees in her expression, but after a moment, he shrugs. “Just leave him here for now. We can come back for him later.”

“One thing I don’t understand, is why Valentine attacked Edom instead of Idris,” Alec muses several hours later, after all of the Circle members have been escorted down to the dungeons and Magnus has checked on everyone in the castle. Alec had followed him while he’d personally talked with every single resident, asking everyone in detail how they were doing, what he could do to make them feel better, and so on. It had taken ages, but Magnus had never showed any signs of being tired or annoyed, had even lingered for hours with a small girl who hadn’t wanted him to leave her until her mother was finished in the infirmary. Alec’s heart had been fit to burst from watching Magnus – how tender and compassionate he was, just as beautiful on the inside as he was on the outside.

“I mean, the last time he took control, he did it in Idris,” Alec continues. “I always assumed if he tried something again, it would be there.”

“Edom is much bigger and more powerful than Idris nowadays,” Luke replies, “and therefore a bigger reward. More than that, the king and queen of Idris have thirteen children, all of whom would stand in Valentine’s way of getting the throne. Not that he’d be opposed to slaughtering thirteen children, of course,” he adds, his voice darkening as he says the words, “but it’d ultimately be much easier for him if he only had to get Asmodeus and Magnus out of the way. He put a spell on the castle to make everyone fall asleep while he took complete control, so that way he wouldn’t have to face any resistance, and then, if you all hadn’t shown up –” He nods at Alec here – “he would’ve woken us all up, straight into a nightmare.”

“But luckily, Alexander _did_ show up,” Magnus murmurs, pressing a kiss to Alec’s cheek.

Alec’s skin tingles at the touch, but he tries not to let it distract him too much as he frowns at Luke. “I don’t understand why he wouldn’t – well, why he bothered putting Magnus and Asmodeus under the spell too. Don’t get me wrong –” He squeezes Magnus’ hand reassuringly. “I’m glad that he did, but…considering what you just said, that he doesn’t mind killing, I don’t get why he didn’t just kill the two of them right away.” He squeezes Magnus’ hand again and shoots him an apologetic look. “Don’t misunderstand me.”

Luke’s lips twitch in amusement. “That’s true, but you’re forgetting one thing: Valentine’s flair for the dramatic. That, combined with his overwhelming arrogance, mean that he saw no risk in leaving Magnus and Asmodeus alive. The idea of waking them up from their enchanted sleep after he’d successfully taken over the castle and torturing them with their failure before he killed them – that was something he couldn’t resist.”

“And the kiss?” Magnus asks. “How did that break the spell?”

“The spell Valentine used is ancient magic,” Luke explains. “Spells like that often have cures such as true love’s kiss.”

Alec turns to look at Magnus, just as Magnus glances over at him. “True love, hmm?” Magnus asks. “You know, I seem to remember _someone_ promising me a proposal…”

“I remember that too,” Alec says, grinning. “But I’ve been a bit busy, you know, I haven’t really had time to plan anything…” Out of the corner of his eye, he notices Luke leaving the room, but he can’t really focus on that when Magnus is looking at him with such intense focus.

“It doesn’t need to be planned,” Magnus insists. “Just propose to me.”

“Bossy,” Alec remarks. “I know you’re almost king, but you don’t need to be quite so demanding.”

“Alexander,” Magnus says, pouting exaggeratedly.

“Magnus,” Alec says softly, and his tone of his voice is so clearly different now that Magnus freezes. Alec takes a moment to drink in the sight of his true love before asking in the same soft voice, “Will you marry me, Magnus?”

Magnus reaches up to cup his hand around Alec’s cheek. He slowly brushes his thumb across Alec’s cheekbone before replacing his thumb with his lips. Finally, he leans in to press a gentle kiss to Alec’s lips. “Yes,” he breathes into the kiss. “Yes, Alexander, I’ll marry you.”

Alec can’t think of anything to say that will adequately portray how he’s feeling, so he simply pulls his fiancé closer and deepens their kiss.

“I still can barely believe you’re here,” Clary murmurs, brushing a lock of hair out of Isabelle’s face. The three of them are sitting cross-legged on Clary and Maia’s bed, taking a well-deserved break after fighting so many Circle members. “It seems like a dream come true.”

“This is real,” Isabelle promises. “I’m here and I’m not leaving. Not as long as you still want me.”

“We’ll always want you,” Maia replies instantly.

“Then I’ll stay,” Isabelle says, and smiles as both Maia and Clary push her down onto the bed and take turns smacking loud, overexaggerated kisses onto her forehead, collarbones, and nose, until she’s giggling and pretending to push them away while she’s actually pulling them closer.

“How is he?” Magnus asks.

“He’s been better,” the physician replies. “The spell Valentine performed took quite a toll on him. I’m afraid it’s had a permanent effect.”

“Can we see him?”

“Yes, but I’d recommend that you limit your visit to a few minutes only, Your Highness. The king needs his rest.”

“I understand,” says Magnus quietly. He looks over at Alec, who reaches out to slip his hand inside Magnus’. Feeling strengthened by Alec’s touch, Magnus pushes open the door to his father’s bedchambers.

His father is propped up against a mound of pillows which look as if they’re the only thing supporting his weight. He doesn’t appear to hear them approach; it’s only when they’re standing right next to the bed that Asmodeus looks up.

However, the smile that Asmodeus gives Magnus appears genuine. “There you are,” he says when Magnus and Alec pull up chairs next to his bed. “Who’s this?”

“This is Alexander Lightwood. My fiancé.”

Asmodeus smile widens. “The ball was a success, I see.”

“It was,” Magnus agrees.

Asmodeus’ gaze travels over to Alec. “My apologies that I can’t greet you properly, but I’m afraid that I’m having difficulty moving from this spot.”

“No problem,” Alec assures him. “It’s just an honor to meet you, Your Majesty.”

Asmodeus doesn’t respond to that. He closes his eyes and breathes out deeply. “I’m tired,” he says.

Magnus takes the hint and rises to his feet. “We’ll let you rest. Get some sleep, Father.”

Asmodeus doesn’t answer that; in fact, he already seems to be asleep. Magnus gestures for Alec to follow him out of the room. As soon as they’re back in the hallway, Alec wraps his arms around Magnus and pulls him into a tight embrace. “Are you ok?”

“Not really,” Magnus mumbles. “But I will be. Thank you, darling.”

“Any time,” Alec whispers, pressing a kiss to Magnus’ temple.

A week later, Maryse arrives at the castle. Alec and Magnus’ wedding is set for the following day and Maryse is a guest of honor.

“Would you like a tour?” Alec asks as he leads her inside.

“That would be lovely.” She glances over at him as they make their way toward the staircase that will lead them upstairs to the bedchambers. “You seem different,” Maryse observes.

“Different?”

“Calmer. Much less tense. I can tell just from your posture.” She smiles. “I’m glad to see it. I know I made a lot of mistakes during your childhood, Alec, not to mention all the mistakes I made before you were born. I’m very sorry, for everything…but I hope this can be a fresh start for all of us.”

“You can count on it,” he promises her, returning her smile.

He takes her to Clary’s and Maia’s bedchambers – although, it would be more accurate to say the room belongs to Clary, Maia, and Isabelle now; the three of them have been practically inseparable over the past week.

Magnus is in the room too, as are Helen, Aline, Dot, and Catarina. Somehow all eight of them have managed to squeeze themselves onto the bed and are talking and laughing together. When Magnus looks up and catches sight of Alec, he leaps to his feet and crosses the room in three large strides, then bounces up on the balls of his feet to press a kiss to Alec’s cheek.

“Hi darling,” Magnus murmurs, after another kiss. “Is this your lovely mother?”

“It is. Mom, this is my fiancé, Magnus. Magnus, this is my mother, Maryse.”

“Your Highness,” Maryse says, beginning to drop into a curtsy, but Magnus holds up his hand to stop her.

“Please, none of that. We’re family now, it’s not necessary.”

“Thank you, Your – Magnus,” Maryse replies. “And thank you for your extended invitation. I’d be very happy to stay for a few more days after the wedding.”

“Please do,” Magnus tells her.

Isabelle stands up then, with Clary and Maia in tow. Alec takes a step back to give them more room to talk. He joins hands with Magnus and watches contentedly as Isabelle introduces her girlfriends and Maryse reacts with nothing but a warm welcome. His heart feels full as he watches the tension ease out of Isabelle’s shoulders at their mother’s calm reaction.

He really never thought he’d get to have any of this. The love he has for Magnus, knowing that his sister has found the same joy – no longer feeling burdened by responsibilities and his obligations to his family’s reputation, but rather knowing that he has his mother’s acceptance and support. He’d dreamed his whole life of something just like this, and now that he has it, it seems almost unreal – but he’s going to cherish every single moment of it, as long as he can.

“Am I interrupting something?” Luke asks, stepping into the room. He catches Alec’s eye and grins. “I was walking down the hallway and I heard a storm of noise coming from in here, so I thought I’d check in and make sure everything was ok.”

“Everything’s splendid,” Magnus responds. “Luke, you know Maryse Lightwood, don’t you?”

“I do,” Luke says, “although it’s been years.” He redirects his gaze to Maryse. “I have to say, however, that you haven’t aged a day since then.”

To Alec’s amazement, his mother actually blushes. “Lucian. I could say the same for you.”

Alec exchanges an amused glance with Isabelle before clearing his throat and suggesting that their group relocates to the dining hall for a nice meal. Everyone agrees and begins making their way downstairs together. As they walk, Alec looks between his sister, giggling and chattering away wih Maia and Clary, and his mother, who’s already deep in conversation with Luke and can’t seem to stop smiling. His heart feeling fit to burst, he looks over at Magnus, only to see Magnus already staring at him.

“I love you,” Alec says, softly enough for only Magnus to hear.

“I love you too, darling,” Magnus says, picking up Alec’s hand and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. Then, hand in hand, they follow the others downstairs.


End file.
